A fantastic Pilot Episode that left me wanting to know more...

With an ensemble cast as big as this, it's difficult to introduce everyone sufficiently, yet I felt that each member of the walker family was given enough screen time that the audience could get at least a strong initial impression of them, from the politically conscious Kitty to the troubled war veteran Justin. Although the spouses/partners of the Walker Siblings were not really developed much (except Jonathan), this will surely come in time as we learn more about the family. There were only 2 characters I didn't warm to in this episode, and thankfully, one of them doesn't look like they survived it. While William Walker, the patriarch of the walker clan, appears to be the perfect father, it's obvious that he's hiding things, as Justin suspects and Sarah learns at the end. Uncle Saul seems fairly shady too, though I'm wondering if he and William were working together on whatever secrets are being kept at the company. I'm intrigued by the presence of Holly, the woman at the office, and am sure she will come to play a larger role! With several strong-willed characters, lots of issues and a few secrets waiting to be revealed, it looks like a rocky road ahead for an intriguing series.moreless

Kitty returns to L.A. for her thirty-eighth birthday, where she hasn't seen her mother in the last three years. Tempers flair and secrets are revealed.

This exciting first episode centers most around Kitty, who is celebrating her thirty-eighth birthday by returning home to L.A. to spend it with her family. There is her sister Sarah, who is with Joe, and their two kids. Sarah and Joe are seeing a councilor because they are having problems in the bedroom. Sarah works for her father's company Oh Hi. Then there is her brother Kevin who is gay and works for his father's company Oh Hi as a lawyer. There is her brother Justin who is a war vet who came home from Iraq and seems to be somewhat unstable and has no job. He drinks and is dating some girl named Fawn, who the family wasn't really impressed with when they met her. Then there is her brother Tommy who also works for Oh Hi, but we haven't heard much about him yet. Kitty and her mother Nora haven't seen much of each other in three years because Nora blamed Kitty for Justin going to war. Nobody likes it very much that Kitty is on a radio show voicing her political views, and now she's being offered a job to be on national television doing the same thing. Nora and Kitty finally have it out about this, and Kitty says that is basically an excuse, and that Nora could never lover her and she doesn't know why. Later, everyone is sitting around the table sharing stories of Kitty and toasting to her birthday. When it is Nora's turn she says that though she will always fight Kitty's opinions violently, she has never stopped loving her for thirty-eight years. Before this, Sarah uncovered a secret about her father's business, that Nora's brother, their uncle Saul has accounts on his computer that are locked and no one else can get into. When Sarah confronts him about it he is defensive, refuses to open the accounts to show Sarah and her brother, and avoids the situation by going to a meeting. Sarah later talks to her father about it who says he can't get a straight answer out of Saul. Sarah does some investigating of her own and finds out all these accounts are pensions, and she suspects that perhaps her father has taken the money and Saul is covering it up? Sarah also continues to have problems with Joe, and it seems he is the one who doesn't want to be intimate. William, the father and the owner of the company tells Justin to be at his office the next day. Justin shows up late and sees Holly, a not so bad looking blond talking to William in his office. She wants money, so apparently there's an affair going on there. William says he got Justin a job at some kind of restaurant. Justin later asks Tommy about Holly, and Tommy says she and their father have been friends for years. Justin asks if there was anything going on between them and Tommy says he wouldn't know. However, these secrets and more are all going to have to be uncovered and revealed in their own way, because at the end of the episode William has a heart attack and falls in the pool,and the boys fish him out. If he is not ok they will have to find answers another way. What a great series this looks like, i can't wait to see the next episode.moreless

The first episode of a show is supposed to give you an idea of what the show is about.

The first episode of a show is supposed to give you an idea of what the show is about. This episode was very fast paced and loaded with a mix of everything. Mom & Kitty don't agree and haven't talked in three years. Kitty's lawyer brother is gay and Justin who was in the military during 9-11 is a drug bum. Sara and her husband are in counseling while she's still crushing on her ex-partner. Jonathon proposes to Kitty to keep her in New York instead of her choosing a job near her family. Dad and Mom have what appears to be a perfect relationship. Surprise Surprise! Dad is having an affair with his long time friend Holly Harper, which Justin knows about. Mom and Kitty make up. Dad falls into the pool and dies of a heart attack. The only reason that I'm giving this show a chance is because I like Sally Fields. I've never seen Sally Fields like this before and I didn't like it.moreless

We are introduced to the Walker family. Kitty returns home for her birthday, and comes face-to-face with her estranged mother. Sarah leaves her old job for her family's company, and discovers some unusual accounts. A tragedy hits the whole family.moreless

I love the show, but haven't watched all the episodes. I just recently watched the first episode!

At the beginning of the episode we are introduced to our first Walker - Kitty Walker. The first scene is quite funny, with all her siblings ringing her as she tries to have a hot date with her boyfriend Jonathan. Kitty arrives at her parents' house, and you can feel the tension between Kitty and her mum - Nora. We are introduced to more Walkers, Kevin - who's a lawyer, Tommy - who helps run the family buisness, Sarah - who is beginning to work at the family's buisness, and Justin - the youngest sibling and the most gregarious. He introduces his new girlfriend - Fawn. His father, William, seems to be quite intimidating, tells him to meet him at the office tomorrow at 12pm.Sarah and Kitty - the two sisters in the family, begin to talk about Sarah and her husband Joe going through counselling. All the siblings are gathered round the table at their parents house - and is quite funny when they begin arguing with Kitty - about Jonathan and politics. Kitty leaves the table in a huff, and Kevin gets told off for starting the bickering.The next day begins with Justin in bed with Fawn. He wakes up, looks at the alarm clock beside his bed in shock, and starts getting dressed. He arrives at the office and sees his dad talking to a woman. He watches them both suspiciously. Kitty is out early jogging, and is surprised to see Jonathan! He's flown out from New York to join Kitty and her family for her birthday celebration.Sarah is at her old job, and there seems to be some sexual tension between her and her old work colleague, Noah. Nothing happens between the two though.Kitty is introduced to the studio, if she decides to quit her old job on radio and make the transfer to TV.Sarah is back at Ojai Foods and is suspicious about some accounts. She sneaks into Saul's office, before she and Tommy confronts Saul about the locked accounts Sarah found.Jonathan and Kitty are dining together. Jonathan proposes to Kitty by having the ring on a lemon rind in the glass. Very romantic and soppy!Sarah is talking to her father about the locked accounts.We see William on the phone to Saul, and the conversation sounds dodgy!Nora confronts Kitty, the two exchange words and both get emotional, as some mothers and daughters do.Justin hunts down Tommy and tells him what he saw. Tommy assures him that nothing's happened between their father and the woman - Holly, but I don't think Justin's convinced, and neither am I (especially when I saw most of the season!)One of the last scenes is of the entire family gathered together to celebrate Kitty's birthday. The toasts for Kitty begin flying, but it's her mother's toast for her that brings tears to Kitty's eyes. It's quite poignant.Shortly after the dinner, Sarah goes to use her father's computer to send an email, and what does she find? The locked accounts! Very shifty business if you ask me. The last scene is of William with Paige by the pool. He doesn't look too well, he can't raise his arm above his head, and he's having pains in his chest – the first few signs of an impending heart attack! The scene is played out in slow motion to increase the dramatic effect, and there's no dialogue – it's been replaced by dramatic music to increase the tension of the scene – and I feel all this is achieved very well.A very enjoyable episode. The only problem I had was the characters weren't introduced to the audience as well as they could have been – I knew who they all were because I'd watched later episodes, but it would have left a first-timer a bit confused. However, the portrayals of all the family members great, and they all acted like a "real" family, with the loving and the bickering and the caring and the arguing. Aspects of family life well-shown. A great episodes, and a wonderful TV series to watch.moreless

William(to Kitty): We're here all together, and I must announce with some depredation, you're no longer grounded.Justin: When she was fourteen, she was grounded indefinitely.Jonathan: What for?Kitty: Oh, it had something to do with cigarettes and surf wax.Tommy: ...And shoplifting and a boy named Pablo.

Kitty(to Nora): Tommy and dad think the same things I do, and you've managed to reconcile forty years of loving somebody who fundamentally disagrees with you. But you can't love me. And I don't know what it's about.

Kitty(after finding a ring in her drink): Jonathan!Jonathan: Of course I didn't want you. Of course I didn't make it appealing. But I think maybe there's a better job. Stay in New York. Start a family with me.

Kitty: You know it's just that I've seen the show, and for me, politics is not about show business. It's... I'm very passionate about my views.White Peyton: What makes you think we don't want that?Kitty: Well, the fact is that radio... it works for me, I get to meld off, and then I go to the movies, and I'm not out there.White: Yeah, in another words, you can hide in satellite radio. Peak out, just enough to not make a difference.

Sarah: You know, I thought when I quit my old job that I would gain in time what I lost in salary. But being a working mom is like being a currency that never has enough value.Kitty: Oh my god, I'm gonna steal that line.

Nora(about Kitty): You look wonderful. Just wonderful.Kitty: Thanks.Nora: You could use a little sun, maybe some raisins or something... How's the hotel?Kitty: Fine.Nora: Good, good.Kitty(to William): Raisins?William: Well...

Kitty: What am I going to do, Kevin? Help me...Kevin: Okay, is there any chance you may have garlic, pasta, frozen peas and chicken broth?Kitty: No peas, but oh, you know what, I do have a little sage leftover from the dead chickens.Kevin: Okay, good. Then you can have a delicious meal ready in ten minutes that anyone in Milan would die for. And that was too gayish sentence even from me.

Kitty: I am not the person you think I am. That's what you people can't seem to understand. I'm not a bitch. I am not aggressively plotting to make our mother feel bad.Sarah: Then why are you staying in a hotel?Kitty: Because the show is putting me up, and it's going to be like a gorgeous groom.

NOTES (5)

Music:Running by Eliane Elias (played as Calista's character was running on the beach)Be Your Love by Rachel Yamagata (when Sarah is sitting in the car crying)Under the Weather by KT Tunstall (the song at the end)

Ron Rifkin, Patricia Wettig and Balthazar Getty all had roles on Alias. Ken Olin, executive producer of Brothers & Sisters as well as director of this episode, was also a director and producer of Alias.

ALLUSIONS (2)

Kitty: They're so Ron and Nancy.Kitty is referring to former US President Ronald Reagan and his wife Nancy whose romantic relationship was very known to the American public (i.e. leaving each other love notes).

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